Hi all,I hope you are all well!The new book is out, exciting right?Don't forget, FATHER'S DAY is on the 21st JUNE, there are some great gift ideas on the website at fantastic prices. Click HERE to find out more In other news, the Cannabis Sativa Oil review is now ready and up on YouTube, click on the link below to view.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fNx3wyT3PrYPlease like, comment and subscribe to help out my channel :)Please also let me know if you would like me to bring round a brochure for you to look over at your own leisure. I'll leave order forms in the book and once you are done, just pop them back in my letterbox and I'll order for you.Please tell your friends and family about Batten's Boutique as well. Hope to hear from you soon.All the very best,Carla xxSee More

https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZwvfu-rpzkoG9C5uDIQXT5uzxY3ZcKSpRS6All Golden Lane residents invited to attend the AGM which will be on ZOOM due to the current social distancing rules. Please use the link above to register for the meeting or emailsecretary.glera@gmail.com We are looking for new volunteers to get involved in the work of the committee. Please email the secretary on the email above if you are interested in joining the committee and/or standing for election as chair, secretary or treasurer.See More

Update: Mental Health UK have now contacted us - see below for the charity's response.During Mental Health Week, 30 Golden Lane Estate residents shared the impact the COLPAI construction site was having on their mental health in a moving open letter.And just as people shared their upsetting experiences of the "torture", "intolerable stress" and "anxiety" caused directly by the behaviour of the site's construction firm, ISG PLC, which was leaving them "heartbroken", "abandoned" and "kettled", ISG had applied to Islington Council to further extend works until 9pm in the evening.Incredibly, ISG sponsors a mental health charity, Mental Heath UK. We wrote to the charity's Chief Executive Brian Dow on 25 May to draw his attention to the letter, and suggested he might want to reconsider ISG's sponsorship until the company could demonstrate it took mental health seriously.Sadly, as yet we have yet to receive a reply. Dear Mr DowI am writing on behalf of residents of the Golden Lane Estate in London to bring to your attention the serious impact your sponsor ISG PLC is having on our mental health.ISG PLC has been contracted by the City of London to build a school and social housing on land directly adjoining our estate. Residents welcome much needed social housing and expect a reasonable level of disturbance.However since ISG PLC began working on the ‘COLPAI’ project in December 2018, the company's impact on residents, 50% of which are social tenants (including those elderly and vulnerable) has been severe:ISG is subjecting residents to extreme levels of noise for up to 10 hours each day. Our flats are all single glazed yet works such as sawing metal often take place less than 10m away from our homes, without mitigations such as acoustic barriers or perceptible effort to observe agreed ‘reduced impact hours’ as recommended in the construction management plan. Those of us with babies are seeing damaging impacts from reduced sleep for both parent and baby. Noise monitoring on one block, Hatfield House, was secretly terminated by ISG to avoid an objective data record of the noise. Dust, fumes and other pollution from ISG’s works are making residents ill. Residents (including those with pre-existing mental health conditions such as paranoia, agoraphobia, medical anxiety and depression) are unable to open their windows during the day, with many reporting an increase in respiratory symptoms. Windows and outdoor spaces are covered in grime, with ISG ignoring its commitment before works started to clean windows every 2 months. (Windows have been cleaned just once 7 months ago, after an intervention from a local MP.)Residents are imprisoned inside their own homes. ISG’s decision to recommence construction during the lockdown has made life miserable for the majority of residents unable to leave home. Trying to work or homeschool our children above the noise, with windows we are unable to open in warm weather, is intolerable. Residents with health conditions are frightened by workers not practicing social distancing within metres of flats. We understand that the City of London would like to suspend the site until the lockdown is over, but ISG’s view is that this would breach their contract and has ordered its workers back on site.In full knowledge of the above, and during Mental Health Awareness week, ISG PLC applied to Islington Council to extend the site’s opening hours further by an additional four hours a day to 9pm. Thankfully this application, which would have subjected residents to up to 13 hours of noise and fumes and risked further disturbance to young children at bedtime, has been turned down for the time being.Your sponsor’s repeated disregard of concerns raised has led to residents writing an open letter during Mental Health Week to highlight the toll ISG is having on our mental health, which is attached for your information. It is impossible not to be moved by this letter, which contains testimonials from 30 residents. Local MP Nickie Aiken agreed, and said the letter “really provides very powerful testimony … the concerns from residents about their wellbeing is particularly poignant.”Based on the above, you will appreciate our concerns that ISG PLC is an unsuitable sponsor for Mental Health UK and risks damaging the reputation of your charity. We would like to kindly request that you suspend ISG’s sponsorship until the company:1) can demonstrate it will take the mental health of Golden Lane Estate residents neighbouring its construction site seriously2) puts in place reasonable actions that will reduce the significant harm it is causing to residents' mental health.We would be happy to put you in contact with neighbours who can share the toll that ISG is having on their lives, so you can hear directly of the impact of your sponsor’s actions.See More

Update: Mental Health UK have now contacted us - see below for the charity's response.During Mental Health Week, 30 Golden Lane Estate residents shared the impact the COLPAI construction site was having on their mental health in a moving open letter.And just as people shared their upsetting experiences of the "torture", "intolerable stress" and "anxiety" caused directly by the behaviour of the site's construction firm, ISG PLC, which was leaving them "heartbroken", "abandoned" and "kettled", ISG had applied to Islington Council to further extend works until 9pm in the evening.Incredibly, ISG sponsors a mental health charity, Mental Heath UK. We wrote to the charity's Chief Executive Brian Dow on 25 May to draw his attention to the letter, and suggested he might want to reconsider ISG's sponsorship until the company could demonstrate it took mental health seriously.Sadly, as yet we have yet to receive a reply. Dear Mr DowI am writing on behalf of residents of the Golden Lane Estate in London to bring to your attention the serious impact your sponsor ISG PLC is having on our mental health.ISG PLC has been contracted by the City of London to build a school and social housing on land directly adjoining our estate. Residents welcome much needed social housing and expect a reasonable level of disturbance.However since ISG PLC began working on the ‘COLPAI’ project in December 2018, the company's impact on residents, 50% of which are social tenants (including those elderly and vulnerable) has been severe:ISG is subjecting residents to extreme levels of noise for up to 10 hours each day. Our flats are all single glazed yet works such as sawing metal often take place less than 10m away from our homes, without mitigations such as acoustic barriers or perceptible effort to observe agreed ‘reduced impact hours’ as recommended in the construction management plan. Those of us with babies are seeing damaging impacts from reduced sleep for both parent and baby. Noise monitoring on one block, Hatfield House, was secretly terminated by ISG to avoid an objective data record of the noise. Dust, fumes and other pollution from ISG’s works are making residents ill. Residents (including those with pre-existing mental health conditions such as paranoia, agoraphobia, medical anxiety and depression) are unable to open their windows during the day, with many reporting an increase in respiratory symptoms. Windows and outdoor spaces are covered in grime, with ISG ignoring its commitment before works started to clean windows every 2 months. (Windows have been cleaned just once 7 months ago, after an intervention from a local MP.)Residents are imprisoned inside their own homes. ISG’s decision to recommence construction during the lockdown has made life miserable for the majority of residents unable to leave home. Trying to work or homeschool our children above the noise, with windows we are unable to open in warm weather, is intolerable. Residents with health conditions are frightened by workers not practicing social distancing within metres of flats. We understand that the City of London would like to suspend the site until the lockdown is over, but ISG’s view is that this would breach their contract and has ordered its workers back on site.In full knowledge of the above, and during Mental Health Awareness week, ISG PLC applied to Islington Council to extend the site’s opening hours further by an additional four hours a day to 9pm. Thankfully this application, which would have subjected residents to up to 13 hours of noise and fumes and risked further disturbance to young children at bedtime, has been turned down for the time being.Your sponsor’s repeated disregard of concerns raised has led to residents writing an open letter during Mental Health Week to highlight the toll ISG is having on our mental health, which is attached for your information. It is impossible not to be moved by this letter, which contains testimonials from 30 residents. Local MP Nickie Aiken agreed, and said the letter “really provides very powerful testimony … the concerns from residents about their wellbeing is particularly poignant.”Based on the above, you will appreciate our concerns that ISG PLC is an unsuitable sponsor for Mental Health UK and risks damaging the reputation of your charity. We would like to kindly request that you suspend ISG’s sponsorship until the company:1) can demonstrate it will take the mental health of Golden Lane Estate residents neighbouring its construction site seriously2) puts in place reasonable actions that will reduce the significant harm it is causing to residents' mental health.We would be happy to put you in contact with neighbours who can share the toll that ISG is having on their lives, so you can hear directly of the impact of your sponsor’s actions.See More

Our balcony floor tiles are being replaced ldue to leakage in the flat below. So we had a site visit and we made sure they were aware of the listing. Like for like or as close to the original as possible. They started this morning and again we mentioned the listing and were told that ‘his boss’ had email approval from the City. As you can see it bears no relation to any balcony tile on this estate.We called the City and sent them the photo. We have had an email asking us ‘ how they can help ‘. We have explained the listing and said it would be twice the work if they have to be taken up again.We are waiting on a full response so that we can inform Waites. They are supposed to do the tiling tomorrow. Why are we having to chase all this when it’s the City who insist on us following listing guidelines.See More

Hi, I’m currently writing a book celebrating London’s council housing and am looking to speak to residents of Golden Lane Estate. Alongside photos and historical information, I am speaking to residents to gain real insights into what it’s like to live on some of London’s most iconic estates. Whether you are a long term resident who grew up here, a private tenant who has since moved out, a new addition to the make-up of the estate, or anything in-between, I would be interested to hear from you all.You can find a selection of the type of imagery that will be included on my Instagram at @thecouncilhouse. Everything will be done remotely over email or call. Please feel free to email me on thecouncilhouseproject@gmail.com or to reply below. I look forward to hopefully speaking to some of you very soon! Many thanks, JackSee More